Treasurer Scott Morrison committed $8.4 billion to the project in Tuesday’s budget, with construction set to begin on some sections before Christmas.

It’s an announcement Parkes Mayor Ken Keith, State Member for Orange Phil Donato, Federal Member for Riverina Michael McCormack, NSW Farmers, Regional Development Australia Central West and the Western NSW Business Chamber are pleased to welcome.

The project will deliver a significant employment boost for the region. Inland Rail is estimated to create 16,000 new jobs at the peak of its construction, with the longest and most significant works – about 307 kilometres of new track – to take place between Narromine and Narrabri.

The 1700 kilometre freight rail link will also include upgrades to existing track between Parkes and Narromine.

“This is smart leadership by the Turnbull Government which will see the Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail project built to become the critical backbone of transport and logistics driving our nation's global competitiveness into the future,” Cr Keith said.

He said he was ecstatic about the announcement – “this combined with the nearly billion dollars already announced means that the momentum for the project will be built”.

“This project has bipartisan support, industry support, farmers support and local government support, and a positive business case it is great to see the Government investing in such an important project.”

Mr McCormack welcomed several significant announcements in the Budget which will see job creation, investment and growth in the towns and villages of the electorate from Peak Hill to Yerong Creek.

“The Budget is fantastic for regional Australia and will have a significantly positive impact in the area I represent,” he said.

“I have no doubt local exporters, farmers and producers will be very pleased with the $8.4 billion investment in the inlandrail project.

“This is nation-building infrastructure which will become a corridor of commerce, creating economic growth along the entirety of the route and ensure produce from Riverina farms finds its way to the dinner plates of Asia.”

For Mr Donato said our region has much to from the Inland Rail announcement, particularly surrounding job creation. 

“From the construction phase through to maintenance and servicing of the link, the job opportunities are significant,” he said.

“The ability to move produce quickly and cost-effectively is also vitally important in an agricultural area such as the Orange electorate.

“Investing in a reliable rail link will pay dividends now and into the future, and I commend the Federal Government on their decision.”

A report by Regional Development Central West has found that the economic impact of the Inland Rail project to NSW’s Central West region is estimated at $216M over 60 years.

But the project has also been welcomed by local business leaders.

Regional Development Australia (RDA) Orana chair John Walkom has dubbed it the “jewel in the crown” of a budget that showed a strong commitment to regional Australia.

He said the rail link would provide greater access to Asian markets, which local producers could capitalise on through value-adding.

“What our region needs to focus on now is how we can capitalise on … the business opportunities during the construction process, and what that connectivity will create,” Mr Walkom said.

“This is certainly a generational piece of infrastructure.

“There’s been money spent on regional infrastructure before but not like this … it’s region-shaping.”

The Western NSW Business Chamber has also welcomed the commitment.

“The short and long term benefits to businesses in inland NSW will be high and projects such as the Inland Rail are job creators for our region. But we do want to see a commitment to using our local businesses to provide goods and services for the project,” regional manager Vicki Seccombe said.